Friday, June 8, 2012

Douglas pay increase still on hold

Douglas City Hall.

Douglas residents are going to have to wait a little longer to find out if city council members are going to vote themselves a pay increase.

The issue was not brought up at the Monday meeting even though it was tabled on May 21. The board first approved the pay hike on May 7. Because the issue is an ordinance change, it must be voted on and pass twice.

At the May 21 meeting, Councilwoman Jane Mayer was absent so fellow council members postponed the issue. Mayer was absent again on Monday and the issue was not on the council agenda.

City Manager Bill LeFevere doesn’t know when it will come up for its second vote. The council will determine that, he said.

When council members voted the first time on the issue, the proposal passed by one vote. Mayer supported the increase. Without her support on the second vote, the motion would have been tied and would have failed, assuming council members would have followed their earlier balloting.

The proposal is to raise council pay by $15 per meeting.

The possible increase was brought up in September and again in April by Mayer who wants council members paid the same as members of other city boards. Council members make $35 per meeting and meet twice a month. Planning commissioners make $50 and meet regularly once a month.

At $35 a meeting, with two meetings a month, a council member makes $840 a year. If all seven members attend every meeting, that’s $5,880 total a year for the entire council.

With an increase to $50 a meeting, a council member would make $1,200 a year. If all seven members attend every meeting, that’s $8,400 a year, an increase overall of $2,520.